Wrench



(No Model.)

F. ARMSTRONG 8v N. W. VANDEGRIPT WRENCH.

Patented Nov. 6, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

FRANK ARMSTRONG AND NATHANIEL W. VANDEGRIFT, OF BRIDGEPORT,

' CONNECTICUT.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,300, dated November 6, 1888.

' Application filed October 15, 1887. Serial No. 252,457. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that WB,FRANK ARMSTRONG and NATHANIEL WQVANDEGRIFT, citizens of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, Fairiield county, Connecticut, have invented new anduseful Improvements in Wrenches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wrenches; and it consists substantially in such features of construction, arrangemena'and combinations of parts as will hereinafter be more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

On the 6th day of May, 1884., Letters Paten No. 298,043 were granted to Nathaniel W. Vandegrift for improvements in wrenches, and wherein the main features employed are a hollow frame or sleeve, through which passes a sliding jaw operated by a hand-nut, and a pivoted jaw havingits bearing or fulcrum between lugs projecting from said hollow frame or sleeve at its forward end. By examining the Letters Patent referred to it will be seen that the shank of the sliding jaw is screw-threaded for its entire length, and that, due to the location of the nut by whichsaid jaw is operated, the said shank has a comparatively small or limited bearing between the walls of the sleeve within which it works. It will further be seen that in the use of this wrench all lateral as well as vertical strain is necessarily received'by the shank of the sliding jaw at whatever point said jaw be brought or adjusted. By practical test and experience with this wrench it has been found that in a very short time the continued strain on the shank so twists or distorts the threads thereon as to finally render it impossible to adjust the jaw to suit varying sizes of work, and consequently the wrench is thereby rendered useless.

- In our invention, in order to overcome the disadvantages or defects above mentioned, we change the location of the adj ustiug-nut to or near the rear end of the hollow frame or sleeve, thereby furnishing a greater superficial area or bearing-surface for the shank of the sliding jaw, and for a distance about equal to the length of said solid portion of the frame or sleeve weform. the shank of the sliding jaw of a solid portion having a perfectly smooth or unbroken surface, while for the remainder of length of said shank the screw is formed by which adjustment may be effected by operating the hand-nut. From this construction it will be seen that by virtue of the hearing between the opposing surfaces of the solid portion of the shank and the walls of the sleeve all strain will be distributed in a direction parallel to the axis of the screw, and that no portion of the screw being in contact with the walls of the sleeve or exposed beyond either end thereof, whether the jaw be adjusted in or out, the same is relieved from all lateral strain.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of a wrench embodying our invention, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.

Reference being had to the several parts by the letters marked thereon, A represents the hollow sleeve or frame having an opening in its sides at or near the rear end thereof, in which opening the hand-nut Bis accommodated, and the rear end of said sleeve is screwthreaded interiorly for a short distance, by which to adapt it to receive the hollow handle C. The entire portion of the sleeve forward of the opening a therein is solid, audit will be seen that the outer side of the same at the top is formed or provided with lugs 1), between which'is pivotally held the jaw D. Moving upon the said jaw D is a sliding jaw, E, the shank of which is formed with a square portion, a, and a screw-threaded portion, (1, the said shank working within the sleeve, as shown, with the screw-thread ed portion thereof passing through the hand-nut, and it is evident that on operating this hand-nut the sliding jaw will be moved in a direction corresponding to'that in which the nut is rotated. As before remarked, no portion of the screw is ever in contact with the walls of the sleeve in which the shank of the sliding jaw works, and

by virtue of the solid portion receiving all strain the same will be induced to take a direction parallel to the axis of the screw, and consequently the threads thereof will not be twisted or distorted, as is the case with the Letters Patent hereinbefore referred to.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A wrench constructed of a hollow sleeve or frame, apivoted jaw,and a slidingjaw working in the sleeve, the shank of which is formed of a smooth or unbroken portion and a screwthreaded portion, substantially as described.

2. In a wrench, the combination, with a hollow sleeve or frame having an opening in its walls at or near its rear end for the accommodation of a handnnt, and ajaw pivoted thereto at or near its forward end, of the sliding jaw moving in said sleeve, the shank M which is formed of a smooth portion, a, and a screw [5 threaded portion, (1, the latter being provided with a handout, snbstantiall y as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK ARHWLRONG. NATHANIEL \V. VANDEGRIF'P.

Witnesses:

ll. L. Sm'rn', MAY E. S'rionucs. 

